Description
A rich and comforting Banana Bread Pudding featuring cubed French bread soaked in a creamy spiced custard with ripe bananas and walnuts, baked to golden perfection and topped with a luscious brown sugar butter sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread Pudding:
- 1 16 oz loaf French bread, cut into 1-2″ cubes
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Splash of milk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the pudding.
- Prepare Bread: Place the cubed French bread into a large bowl and set aside.
- Make Custard Mixture: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, milk, sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt until well combined.
- Add Bananas and Walnuts: Stir the mashed bananas and 1 cup of chopped walnuts into the custard mixture.
- Soak Bread: Pour the custard mixture over the cubed bread and stir gently to coat all the bread. Let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes so the bread absorbs the custard thoroughly.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Transfer to Dish and Bake: Spread the soaked bread evenly into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chopped walnuts on top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until the center is set and no longer jiggly and the top is slightly toasted.
- Cool Slightly: Remove the bread pudding from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes to allow it to set further.
- Prepare Sauce: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and a splash of milk. Heat in the microwave until the mixture starts to bubble, stirring every 30 seconds. Alternatively, heat the mixture on the stovetop until bubbly.
- Serve: Pour the warm brown sugar butter sauce over sliced portions of the bread pudding and serve immediately for a decadent dessert.
Notes
- Allowing the bread to soak well in the custard ensures a moist and flavorful pudding.
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans or omit nuts for a nut-free version.
- If you don’t have sweetened condensed milk, you can use evaporated milk with extra sugar, but the texture and sweetness may vary.
- To make ahead, assemble the pudding, cover it, and refrigerate overnight before baking.
- Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgence.
